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Annual Salary for Videographer/Editor
Hello,
I recently obtained a job as a videographer/editor for a popular Boston-based Entertainment company and need help with knowing what I should be asking for with my financial salary.
I graduated from Boston College in 2008 and this is my first “real job”. I’m quite skilled in Final Cut Pro and all things MAC and editing and while I know I’m good what I what I do I really do not know how much I am worth/how much people in my position usually get paid.
I have been offered $41,000 per year for 40 hours a week of editing and creating DVDs of bar mitzvahs, weddings, corporate events and promotional materials for the entertainment company we’re affiliated with. I will be getting paid separately for filming the events (around $250 per 4-5 hr event, about 20-30 per year).
I have previous experience through internships, part-time paid positions and freelance work but this is my first official “real” job in the production industry.
Can anyone tell me if $41,000 per year (not including the filming) is a good amount? I have no friends or family in the industry so I could use all the advice I can get! All guidance will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
R. King
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4 Replies
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I’m not familiar with the Boston market,and the cost of living, but it sounds to me like you got a pretty good gig for a recent grad. I don’t know too many busy editors that work a 40 hour week. Are you going to be paid for OT?
JPD
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I don’t know that market either, but that seems reasonable given the type of jobs you’ll be doing.
A videographer can certainly earn a lot more than that but you’d need more experience and better jobs (high-end corprate work rather than weddings and events) before that can happen.
So what I’m saying is, you should be happy with this job and this pay at this point in your life, but don’t stop learning! I’ve seen people get comfortable with a videographer job and let it just be a ‘job.’ If you keep learning and improving then it can certainly become an actual career with greater opportunities down the line.
But don’t rush things too much. I learned SO much more shooting weddings than I did at any other job. I know a lot of people who look down on them but I’ve worked with many good videographers who weren’t any good at them. They’re hard…master wedding work and you can take on anything else. Take the time to learn and improve yourself. Every skill you learn now will be useful later on.
The big thing is to keep working on fun projects on your own time. Enter film festivals or just make videos for Youtube. The weddings will teach you a lot but they will NOT get you a better job. You need to build a good demo reel with everything BUT weddings. If you get cool corprate jobs, put thsoe in your reel. But if you only do weddings and bar mitzvahs, keep doing personal projects on your own time. THAT’s what will get you your next job.
That’s more advice than what you asked for, but these are the things I wish I knew 10 years ago, so hopefully it’ll help you.
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That’s an excellent starting salary, you are a lucky guy.
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take it.
You can give yourself a five-figure raise every other year or so as needed by moving on. You need that first gig though and that’s a high salary for a first.
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